135 Ways To Reinvigorate Your Life Completely

Routine and monotony are common features of modern existence. Most urbanites with steady jobs wake up at the same time every day, drink the same coffee, socialize with the same people in the same handful of places, eat mostly the same food, sit at the same desk at work, and live in the same neighborhood for several years. Many of these people could tell me, down to the minute, at what time every day they brush their teeth or pour their morning cup of joe. Are you one of them?

I think many of us are in a rut because, consciously or unconsciously, we want to keep ourselves from experiencing disappointment, getting hurt, feeling awkward, being rejected, or wasting time and money.

We continuously seek the safe, reliable option not because we dont like new people, new experiences, and new self-discoveries, but because the cost-benefit analysis of taking these types of risks is not straightforward: we dont know that the new thing will be better than simply what weve already tried, tested, and are content with.

With New Years right around the corner, now is a great time to start thinking about how you can trade in some of your usual comforts for new challenges, small (and big) thrills, and work out more than just your abs in 2016.

Actually, every part of us is a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to keep us happy and healthy: our minds, bodies, spirits, relationships, work, money, and, the thing that ties it all together: our sense of purpose.

If youve made the conscious decision to break your rut and place a new emphasis on the value of small, diverse experiences that will open you up to lifes beautiful serendipity, then youre ready to start. Here are 135 creative ways to break anyone out of any kind of rut. I recommend choosing 3 from each category to start, and reverting back to the list for new inspiration once youve already accomplished those. Keeping a journal to document your new experiences and the impact they have on your life is also recommended.

Relationships

1. Eat lunch or dinner with one new person this week.

2. Go to a MeetUp event this month.

3. If youre brave, go alone.

4. Create your own MeetUp group and host an event.

5. Try online dating, even if youre happily single.

6. Send a note to 5 people you havent seen in the past year.

7. Randomly introduce 2 people who dont know each other but should.

8. Try something new in bed.

9. Have a no-booze night with your friends.

10. Call someone you usually text.

11. Write a hand-written letter and mail it.

12. Give someone a (genuine) compliment.

13. Host a party and focus on being a great host.

14. Make one new friend this month.

15. For a week, dont like anything on Facebook. Comment and engage instead.

16. Deactive Facebook for a week.

17. Only call (no texting) for an entire day.

18. Send a sincere thank you note to someone who has changed your life.

19. Do a random act of kindness.

20. Apologize to someone you think deserves it.

21. Treat a friend to dinner or drinks (dont tell them beforehand, just pick up the check).

22. Bake a new goodie and give it away.

23. Ask a friend or colleague to set you up on a blind date (not facilitated by online dating in any way).

24. Hold a reunion for something.

25. Call a grandparent if you can.

Physical Health

26. Try playing a new sport.

27. Read a book about diet and wellness.

28. Go vegetarian for a week.

29. Start having a green smoothie every morning.

30. Give up alcohol for a month.

31. Give up coffee for a month.

32. Take a 30-minute walk day for a week.

33. Eat every meal at a table for a week. With no cell phone or computer. Focus on your food.

34. Eat every meal with company for a week. With no cell phone or computer. Focus on your company.

35. Go organic for a month and see how different you feel.

36. Give up sugar for a week.

37. Go on a bike ride.

38. If you normally go to the gym, exercise outside.

39. If you dont go to the gym, find a free trial and try it out for a week.

40. Take a dance class

41. Join a local sports league.

Self and Purpose

42. Take a personal health sick day from work. Explore what you want to do with this free time.

43. Find a place to volunteer once a month.

44. Come up with five solid answers to the What would I do if time, money, and failure were not an issue? question.

45. And post them in the comments section below.

46. Sit in a new place at work.

47. If you work from home, try a co-working space.

48. Browse the Craigslist services section to see how freelancers make money.

49. Put your own ad up for something you could do for others for a fee.

50. Free-write every morning for 20 minutes.

51. Search your university alumni network. Find 3 people doing something that interests you and write to them asking for a 30 minute informational interview.

52. Google (your passion) + (where you live) and see what comes up.

53. Make a 100 Things About Me list. Choose whether or not to share it.

54. Make a Things To Do Before I Die list and agree to cross one item off in the next 3 months.

55. Look through old pictures. Write a journal entry about what you discover.